


Broken Steel One-Shots

by MangoBait



Series: Ashtyn Jones Series [2]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drabbles, F/M, Humor, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Romance, Side Story, Slow Burn, Smut, Trying to be funny
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-06-08 21:21:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6873799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MangoBait/pseuds/MangoBait
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the traumatizing nuclear apocalypse and death of her husband, Ashtyn Jones sets out on a quest to find her kidnapped son. With no understanding of how to survive in this post-nuka-hell, she is armed with nothing but her wits and gut instinct to keep herself alive. Her quick tongue and lack of filter make her unruly, irrational, and difficult to trust on the field, but her determination and heart are enough to convince Paladin Danse that maybe she could be worth the Brotherhood of Steel name. Forged through a deal, the two are forced to work together - for good or ill. However, the Commonwealth has more in store for them than just the 'boogieman'.</p><p>This is a random collection of one-shots that take place during the plot of 'Broken Steel' - my take on the Fallout 4 story. I have a list of fics I plan on starting already but I will be taking suggestions. If you haven't read the original 'Broken Steel', I recommend starting there and coming back! I'll try to add notes to that story as I go here, indicating where a one-shot sits within the plot between chapters, in case you want to flip between the two!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Truth or Dare

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter takes place slightly after ‘Knighted’, Ashtyn is playing a game of Truth or Dare with the Squires when Danse intrudes.  
> \- for a Guest who gave the suggestion to me on FanFiction.net

It was evening, getting late. Through the windows that nestled within the steel walls of the Prydwen, the moon was just barely visible among the rumbling green clouds. A radiation storm was thundering outside the safety of the giant airship, sheeting rain against the exterior and making these little ‘plink plunk plink’ noises as the individual drops pelleted off of the metal.

The air was heavy with humidity and moisture, dampening my skin as I crossed the flight deck towards the door. Radiation made my flesh crawl, made me wince as it bit at me. Nope, I wasn’t ever going to get used to that. _Good to know_. Puddles were forming where the grating of the walkways bent and settled, splashing along my calves. My loose ponytail stuck to the nape of my neck and trailed halfway down my back, resting between my shoulder blades. My shirt clung to my soft skin, my cargo pants were dark with water, and my boots squinched with each step I took as I thudded across the catwalks.

For lack of better terms? I was fucking soaked.

To the bone.

As I stepped inside the main deck, I took a slow inhale, enjoying the lack of droplets smacking against my skull. I squeezed the excess water from my hair, flicking the condensation from my fingertips. One of the guards grunted, eyeing me with a grim expression. I scoffed in response, “What? My bunk is down three floors. You don’t honestly expect me to drip the whole way there, do you?”

Another grumble. _Well, fine, up yours too, buddy._

I took to the ladder, careful with my footing for fear the water would make the rungs slippery. Last thing I needed right now was to plummet to a rather embarrassing, and painful, pile of arms and legs. I had enough shit to worry about; a visit to Cade just wasn’t in my itinerary.

A few of the Knights bobbed their heads in greeting as I passed, offering a soft-hearted salute when I edged around them, desperately attempting not to spread my soaked-ness. My bunk room was a welcome sight, void of Danse for the time being. “Thank fuck for that,” I whispered. Not like I needed him in here while I changed… though I couldn’t deny the warm flush that heated my cheeks at the thought.

_No, get your head in the game. Focus. Jesus hot sauce, Christmas cake, don’t be stupid._

I ran a towel over my damp hair, ringing all the residue I could manage from my head in the process. I shivered once my shirt and jeans were removed, leaving my skin wet and exposed, allowing the frigid air to steal my breath away as I trembled. I haphazardly toweled myself dry as quickly as I could.

Once finished I tugged on a fresh set of clothes – a black long-sleeved shirt with the RobCo logo sprawled across the front and a pair of ratty blue jeans that were faded, clearly having lived better days… Hell… everything here had lived better days. _I_ had lived better days.

I snorted. _Sure, compare yourself to clothing, great idea. That’s a real mood booster there._

“Alright, time to visit the boys,” I said to myself, exiting the safety of the bunk room. I had promised them that I would play whatever game they wanted me to in return for flaking on them the day before. I was supposed to go on an escort mission with them but… well, shit happened. More accurately, _Teagan_ happened. He had ordered me to complete a food run, no matter how many times I told him I was otherwise occupied. _Bastard_.

My hand skimmed along the rail as I made my way to the lower levels of the Prydwen. I could hear their laughter as I descended the steps to them, childish giggles enveloping the air with their happiness. How wonderful it was to be so young… capable of remaining blissfully unaware of the shit-tastic bomb shell world that they lived in. How lucky they were.

The room was packed, children taking up almost every free space with their personal belongings and gear. Some were sprawled out on their cots reading or playing cards with one another on the floor. Some were practicing hand-to-hand combat in the back while others studied for their Squire exams that were occurring on Friday. It reminded me a lot of a college dormitory… but for kids.

Jeremy trotted up to me, an ear-to-ear grin spreading across his face like wildfire as he grasped my hand. “You came!”

“I promised, didn’t I?” I replied, kneeling down to his level to ruffle his hair with my fingers. “Where’s your partner in crime?” Usually he and Tim were attached at the hip, it was strange to see him greeting me alone.

“Over here!” Tim called from his seated position. He sat with two others, forming a circle of sorts with a space free, likely where Jeremy had been before I arrived. “Come on, join us!”

Jeremy led the way to the group, taking his place once more and tugging me down beside him. “We’re playing Truth or Dare,” he explained. “Have you ever played it?”

I had to refrain from rolling my eyes. Out of all the games they picked, _this_ was the one they chose to go with? “Yep. I know it may come as a surprise, but I was a kid once too.”

“Great, it’s Casey’s turn,” Tim said, tilting his head towards a young girl that sat across from him. She looked to be about the age of twelve, her soft golden curls framing her rounded face and big gray eyes.

“Okay… Uh… Jake, truth or dare?” Casey asked, eyeing another boy who was to the right of Jeremy. Jake was one of the newer recruits, roughly eleven years old. He was found wandering the streets of downtown Boston when a scouting team stumbled upon him.

“Truth!”

“Is it true you have a big crush on Penny?”

A blush colored Jake’s cheeks in crimson as his blue eyes widened. I couldn’t hold back the eye roll then. What did these pre-teeners know about crushes and love?

“You have to tell the truth,” Casey added when he seemed reluctant to supply an answer.

Grumbling quietly, he muttered, “Yes.”

“I knew it!” Casey squealed, clapping her hands together. But then her face turned serious as she peered at the boy. “I won’t tell her, promise. Squire’s honor!” she swore, placing a hand firmly over her heart.

Jake let out a relieved exhale, his muscles visibly losing their tension. Then he swiveled his head to Tim, “Truth or Dare?”

“Dare,” Tim replied, determination making his shoulders pull back and his chest puff forwards.

“Do a handstand for one full minute!”

“Easy!” Tim countered, standing from his spot and straightening out his t-shirt. With a steadying breath he leaned forward and placed his palms against the deck’s floor. Reassuring himself that he was prepared to transfer his center of gravity and balance, he kicked his legs up and held them above his head.

“Someone start a timer!”

Jeremy watched the second hand on his wrist watch, counting out loud.

“1, 2, 3, 4…”

Tim gritted his teeth and shuffled his hands, trying to find a sturdier position.

“15, 16, 17, 18…”

Tim’s eyes closed as he concentrated, blood already rushing to his head and coloring his face pink.

“33, 34, 35, 36…”

He hissed through his pursed lips, sweat beginning to prick his brow.

“48, 49, 50, 51…”

“Hurry…. Up…” Tim managed to growl out, arms starting to tremble.

“59, and 60!”

Tim dipped his feet back to the ground, landing on his hands and knees as he regained his composure.

“I didn’t think you could do it,” Jake admitted, clapping with the other kids. I felt bad for agreeing but I was just as amazed.

“I’ve been practicing since the last time you made me do that.” Tim retorted, a triumphant look in his gaze as he locked eyes with Jake. “I wasn’t going to let you make me feel bad twice in one week!”

“Fair enough, but it’s your turn now.”

Tim rolled upwards, working his fingers and hands to release some of the tension he had built up over the past sixty seconds. “Alright… Just because no one else is brave enough to do it, I challenge Ashtyn. Truth or Dare?”

I groaned internally. Had it been foolish of me to assume I could have just remained a willful observant? Okay, I had two options… because backing out wasn’t available. Not after my promise. Truth could result in me spilling the beans on… well, _everything_ … I could lie but that was against the rules. So… “Dare.” Hey, maybe this could be fun.

Tim smirked, eyes flicking towards the stairs for a moment as if in contemplation. “Pretend to be Paladin Danse!”

 _Oh_ … Oh, yeah. I could get behind this.

With a smile curling the corner of my lips, I stood and saluted. “Ad Victoriam, solider! Paladin Danse, reporting for duty!” I deepened my voice, and tensed my biceps the best I could.

I was met with a peal of laughter.

“Ferals can come out of anywhere, they are an infestation that needs to be exterminated! Safety off and remain sharp. We can’t afford to waste any bullets.” I continued, pumping a fist into the air, “All this water is bad for my power armor.” They giggled, Tim’s gaze returned to the staircase leading to the upper decks. “Knight, seems we have found some new pre-war technology! What a wonderful asset for the Brotherhood of Steel. By Steel, recruit, I-“

“I, _what_?”

My face paled and my voice caught in my throat.

“Well, hey there, Paladin Danse. Didn’t see you there, sir!” Tim welcomed, waving nonchalantly.

_Oh… you little prick._

A hand rested on my shoulder causing every single muscle in my body to tighten as if pulled like a rubber band. “Nothing,” I squeaked, bowing my head as the tips of my ears turned scarlet with embarrassment.

“No, do go on. I’m dying to know,” Danse replied as he moved around to face me fully.

“You’re… a really swell guy who can look past this little bit of insubordination?” I finished, peeking up at him from under my thick eye lashes, blinking innocently.

Though he kept his expression stern, his eyes gave him away – filled with a silent chuckle as they twinkled in the florescent lights. “This once, Knight. Though, I am curious, what is it that prompted this behavior?”

“We’re playing a game,” Jeremy answered, popping up into a standing position next to me.

“And what game is that?”

“Truth or Dare, you should play with us!”

Danse scowled, thick brows knitting together. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

I snickered, a challenge in my words as I spoke, “I mean, it would be a good way to prove me wrong.”

His frown deepened.

“So, I portrayed you accurately then, good to know.”

The children offered a mock ‘ooooooh’ as they swiveled their heads towards Danse, waiting for his response.

“ _Hardly_.”

I shrugged one of my shoulders before crossing my arms defiantly in front of my chest. “Looks like I did, since you clearly have no fun side.”

“Holy crap, I can’t believe she just said that,” Casey whispered to Jake.

Danse stole a quick scan of the room before leveling a glare with me. “Game on, Knight.”

“Great, it’s my turn,” I cooed. “Danse, Truth or Dare?”

“Dare.” Conviction and courage weaved their way around his reply.

“I dare you to walk from that end of the room and back like a runway model, posing and all,” I jabbed my finger towards the furthest wall.

He flushed. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, oodles of seriousness. And, kids, we all know the rules right?” They nodded eagerly. “Can’t back out.”

Danse glowered at me, huffing out a heavy exhale from his nose before glancing at the wall. “Fine.”

No way… he wasn’t going to actually do it, was he?

He pivoted on his heels and faced his destination, cracking his knuckles.

He wouldn’t… _couldn’t_ …

Danse strutted forward with one hand on his waist, hips swaying as he did his best rendition of a pre-bomb-shit-hole model. At the wall he spun and returned to us, chin pointed upwards and lips formed into a full on pout. His steps were precise, calculated, just as measured as they were when we were in combat. But this… this was something else entirely. Oh god, if Maxson could see him now.

If I thought the children were amused before…

When he was back where he started he popped out his left leg and posed, arms outstretched as he gestured at his orange Brotherhood of Steel fatigues rolled down around his hips, graying t-shirt and combat boots.

Everyone clapped, eyes watering as our bodies trembled from bouts of laughter. Even I had to cover my mouth with the back of my hand to suppress myself.

“Happy?” Danse questioned.

“YES!” Jake answered.

“Keep playing with us!” Jeremy added, pulling Danse further towards the group.

Danse and I exchanged a look. He was trapped now.

“Alright, but only for a few minutes.”

**-oOo-**

Three hours later, Danse and I returned to our bunkroom.

“Okay, I’ll admit,” Danse started, taking a seat on his bed as he knelt over to unlace his boots to remove them. “That was a lot of fun.”

“This may astonish you but there is a lot of fun stuff to do when you don’t occupy every single freaking second of your life with training and missions,” I reciprocated, plopping down on my own cot and leaning against the metal barred headboard.

He grimaced at me, chestnut hair wildly splayed across the top of his head. “Are you insinuating that I don’t know how to have a good time?”

I feigned shock. “How did you guess?”

Danse kicked off his shoes before meeting my gaze once more. “Truth or Dare?”

“What?”

“You heard me. Truth. Or. Dare?” he repeated.

My heart thudded in my chest, my senses became hyperaware. What was he scheming? “Truth?”

He propped his elbows on his knees, placing his chin on his hands. “On a scale from zero to ten, when we were at the Red Rocket Station, how scared were you that I was going to die?”

I scoffed, “Like… a five…”

“Five?”

“Yeah… Five,” my tone was defensive… _too_ defensive.

“A five?”

“Yeah, yeah. Five. Why?”

“You were at least a seven,” he argued, a playful lilt to his voice as his lips coiled up into a grin.

“What? Nah, a _seven_?”

“Total seven. No doubt.”

“ _Mirelurk Queens_ are a seven.”

“Mirelurk Queens? _Over my death_?”

“Have you seen those things? They’re pretty fucking scary, Danse.”

He chuckled. “Okay, fine, what’s a ten?”

“Heights.”

“Heights…. Heights over… Steel, _everything_?”

“I… I _hate_ heights. You have no idea,” but even I was grinning now.

“Just admit it, you thought I was dead.”

“No, of course not,” I waved my hand dismissively.

“Yes, yes you did! I saw tears. Big ones.”

“I wasn’t crying… and you were passed out. It was raining.”

“It was sunny and you shed tears. A bunch of them.”

Two could play at this game. I moved to mirror his position. “Truth or Dare, punk?”

“Dare,” he was cocky, riding his victory high.

 _Time to fix that_. “Wear Haylen’s red lipstick on our mission tomorrow.”

“But Elder Maxson will-“

I raised a finger to silence him. “Nope, no breaking rules,” I chided.

If looks could kill.

“Truth or Dare?” He muttered.

“Dare,” too afraid for another truth.

Revenge was bittersweet… “After every sentence tomorrow while your feet ore on the Prydwen, you have to bark. Loudly.”

“Oh, that’s not fair!”

“It’s completely fair. I have to wear lipstick, you get to be a dog.”

“You’re on, Danse.” I leaned forward, attempting to put some sort of threat into my demeanor.

“Right back at you, Ashtyn,” copying my movement…

And leaving our faces a few mere inches apart.

My breath suddenly felt imprisoned in my lungs, my chest tightened. My heart’s tempo increased, the thud-thud so loud in my chest I feared he could hear it as it echoed out through my ears.

I watched as his stare flicked to my lips before chastely returning to my face. “I… uh…” I began.

All it would take… was a gentle nudge, an ‘accidental’ slip… and…

He cleared his throat and reclined, increasing the distance between us. It took everything I had not to veer in his general direction, to close the gap once more…

“We should probably get some rest,” he finished, averting his gaze to his mattress.

“Right… Right…” I breathlessly agreed, refusing to acknowledge the way my soul ached for anything but.

“Sleep well, Knight.”

Right… Like I was going to sleep at all after that.


	2. Morning Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freshly made a Knight, Danse trains Ashtyn. Takes place after Truth or Dare.

I’ve never been a morning person.

Ever.

Every never ever.

Fuck mornings. Seriously. Worst. Ever.

They were just as bad as Mondays as far as I was concerned.

Alarm clocks screaming at me, rad roaches nibbling at my toes, Dogmeat jumping on my already sore muscles, the raw sting of radiation as it drenched my skin, the smoldering heat of the sun slicking my hair against my neck and shoulders… all made mornings that much worse in the post-shit-nuka-piss-hell-hole.

And ya wanna know what made it even more worse?

_Danse_.

At 4AM, sorry _0400_ , shaking my sorry ass out of bed.

I already was hesitant about the whole sharing a bunk room experience setup, but knowing that my commanding officer could literally _shake me out of bed_ every goddamn morning to start drill practice was not the figurative cherry on top I was looking for. Fuck this.

I think I even told him that too.

But he droned on and on about his Code Book and how it was healthy to get up early in order to prevent jogging during the steamy eighty degree Fahrenheit morning temperature. And how I had a long day ahead of me regardless, and that if I wanted to play with Jeremy and Tim later, I was going to have to do what he said.

It took everything I had not to flip him off.

Now, here I was, lazily prodding behind him down a two fifty hundred year old runway that hadn’t seen a plane in the past few centuries. His form was pristine: shoulders back, head forward, chest puffed, arms tight at his sides, breathing controlled. Perfect Solider Boy.

And me? Not so much. My lungs ached, my heart pounded, my thighs and calves burned hotter than the sun that would be scorching my flesh red in the next hour. I felt like I was dying. Literally dying. Without my usual dose of adrenaline to keep my body going, I felt weak and exhausted. I thought I was in shape but… It seems I was so incredibly wrong.

_You’re doing this for Shaun, you’re doing this for Shaun._

“Better pick up the pace if you don’t want to miss breakfast,” Danse said with a rather curt tone ahead of me.

“You… serious?” I panted. Was breakfast really on the table for debate? My stomach was eating away at me, gnawing with hunger pains.

“You better believe it, Knight. Chin up, keep going.”

This man was dead to me.

Needless to say, I missed breakfast that morning.

**-oOo-**

“Your fist is wrong.”

Fuck. You.

“You have to curl your thumb like this around your knuckles,” Danse raised his own hand to demonstrate, closing his fingers tightly into the palm of his hand and wrapping his thumb around his pointer and middle finger to protect them from snapping in half on impact against a foe.

I mimicked his move, wincing in the slightest as my stomach growled.

Danse, ignoring my obvious need for subsidence, instructed, “Now lunge forward and attack like this,” he darted speedily towards the cloth dummy, jabbing his fists out in quick succession, slamming heavily against the bag and sending the fake enemy careening backwards before snapping back upright.

The gym on the lower deck of the Prydwen was empty except for us. Seems everyone else was sensible to stay tucked in bed at 0600 in the morning… that or they were eating decadent pancakes with honeyed syrup and crispy bacon… and oh, fuck, I was so hungry right now.

Even without the people, the room smelled of sweat and metal. It was void of windows, leaving the area shadowed in the murky florescent lighting the Prydwen offered. Lamps dangled above our heads, flickering once in a while as the generators switched. Cool air was filtered in through the vents but it did little to combat the heat from the furnaces that were stored this low in the ship.

“Why are we even doing this?” I grumbled, lowering my arms to my sides. “Rhys said I would make a horrible hand-to-hand fighter. I have no muscle, no anything. I can barely hold some of the guns you’ve showed me up for longer than two seconds. I don’t see how this is going to help us at all.”

Danse sighed, a slow exhale that hinted at his frustrations with me. “You’ve been gone for a month. You’re just rusty. I want to make sure your muscles are built back up.”

“You have no idea what I’ve been doing. For all you know, I could be super buff underneath this super sexy jumpsuit,” I gestured at the hideously orange fatigues we were all forced to wear.

He scowled. “I highly doubt that.”

I rolled my eyes. “I could probably take you on, if I wanted to, with how insanely ripped I am.”

“Is that so?” he hedged, a small light beginning to shine in his chestnut irises.

“You bet your fancy shmancy Code book reading ass, I can.”

His stance changed as he pivoted towards me, lowering into a defensive position. “Okay. How about this. If you best me, we will call it a day early and you can go eat.”

Oh… Wait… I wasn’t sure about this. “And if you win?” I managed to ask, feeling my gut twist uncomfortably. Why was I even playing along? Stop it. There was no way I could beat him. And he knew it. _He fucking knew it_.

Danse raised his gloved hands to his face, providing himself a makeshift shield of sorts. “If I win, you stay here till lunch. And it’s going to get a lot harder.”

I bit my bottom lip, my personal nervous habit, as my gaze flicked to the clock. Six more hours of this if I lost. Which, let’s not kid ourselves here, I was going to lose. No grenades or elevator shaft in sight meant that my odds were severely decreased, no matter what half-baked shitty excuse of a strategy I muddled up for myself.

Likely sensing my trepidation, Danse said, “You can always back out now. No harm done.”

And, for some reason, that was enough to piss me off. “You think you’re so great. Alright, come on, Solider Boy, let’s do this.”

I launched forward, arms clumsy and tactics all but nonexistent. He parried my blows with ease, allowing my clenched fists to beat uselessly against his forearms. “Your form is poor,” he chided.

“Shut up!” I snapped but taking his advice to heart as I steadied my stance. _Be a rock, be unmovable. Just gotta lock your muscles and-_

Danse snapped into the offensive, charging into me and sending us both to the ground. I tumbled, tucking my booted feet between us and shoving upwards against his chest. He toppled off of me, rolling gracefully onto his hands and feet, gaze narrowing. “Good.”

I scrambled out of his reach as he moved to swipe at me, fingers grazing against my ankles. Using what little momentum I had, I bolted towards him. He side stepped, causing me to lose my footing as I crumbled to the metal flooring once more. I groaned, rubbing my hand against my forehead, flinching. I was going to bruise tomorrow. “Don’t ever put your full force behind a single action.”

With a grunt I stood once more. My turn to take the defensive.

Danse came at me full force, eyes narrowed and jaw tense. He wasn’t messing around anymore. He jabbed twice at me, causing me to feint to the right… only for him to land a blow against my left flank. The side of his lips curled up into a devilish smirk. But he wasn’t letting up. Even as I winced, he continued. I back pedaled a few feet but he mirrored my action, a dance of sorts playing out as I continually dodged and weaved around his attacks, trying not to yelp too loudly when one or two connected with my extremely non-protected torso.

I couldn’t keep this up, not indefinitely. And, judging by the lack of sweat or labored breathing on Danse’s end, he _could_. I had to change up my strategy if I wanted my coveted breakfast.

I ducked low and sped past Danse, arching my back just in time to narrowly avoid a punch aimed for my mid-spine region. I couldn’t fight him on my own – he was bigger, stronger, faster, and properly trained. I couldn’t compete. So, I had to think outside the box: use my environment to my advantage.

Along the edge of the training gym rested an assortment of gear and equipment. It varied from practice pistols, armor, soft mats for the floor, helmets, and… batons. Several of them.

I dashed for the wooden sticks, flinching as I heard Danse’s footsteps closing in behind me.

_Quick, go go gogogogo!_

Snatching one of the batons I twisted and flung the weapon like a projectile towards my Commanding Officer. It landed with an audible thud, slamming against his chest and causing him to pause, blinking a few times in surprise. He hadn’t expected that.

Without hesitating to breathe a sigh of relief, I repeated the motion, hurling two more rods in his general direction… but this time? This time, he was prepared for it. “You’re going to have to change it up again if you want to win, Jones,” he said. “But good thinking. I award you for your tactical abilities.” Then he was moving again.

Tightening my grip around the baton I held, I lowered myself, made my body a smaller target as he came at me. Just as he came within range, I swung. If everything went according to plan, the wood would careen into his arm, effectively attacking and defending in one single maneuver.

Course, nothing I ever did went to plan.

Instead his own hand clamped around the end of the baton. Using his weight he yanked me forward and spun me around until my arm was pinned behind my back.

But if he thought I was going to lose that easily, he had another thing coming.

I wedged my foot between his, hooking my toes around his ankle and tugging with every ounce of muscle I had (albeit, it wasn’t much).

But it was apparently just enough.

He inhaled sharply as we both were thrown off balance. His hold on my wrist loosened and I began to spin to free myself, desperately trying to formulate another strategy… but it was too late. We were going down.

Oh, _fuck_ , this was going to hurt.

I didn’t do the rational thing – I didn’t outstretch my arms to catch myself, didn’t place my hands over my face to protect it from having a rather intimate relationship with the floor, didn’t even fuck around with ducking and rolling, _nothing_. I was full heartedly resigned to face planting the floor.

But, strange thing is? That didn’t happen.

Danse pulled me to his chest, muscular arms curling defensively around me, left hand placed against the back of my head. I heard him curse under his breath and mutter something along the lines of a particular someone not thinking ahead before acting. I felt his feet struggle (and fail miserably) to find stable ground but the metal surface offered little refuge. We were going down but… at least my personal fall was going to be a cushioned one.

We landed with a heavy crash, my fingers splaying out across his chest, his gray t-shirt dampened in the slightest with sweat. He held himself off of me, elbows placed firmly on the ground on either side of my shoulders. “Are you okay?” he managed to grunt as he shifted his weight.

My eyes flicked open, gaze finding his – copper meeting sapphire. “I’m fine.”

Sort of.

I was fine as far as injuries were concerned. But uh…

I was acutely aware of a few things.

We were only a few mere inches apart, I could feel his breath tickle my hair. He smelled of gun powder and metal, and I _liked_ that. The heat oozing from his body seemed to meld into my very being, sink into my soul. And the way his eyes flicked from my eyes to my lips – was that just my imagination or reality?

Danse cleared his throat and pushed off, expanding the distance between us in a matter of seconds. Cold replaced the warmth and I was left feeling… strange. “Sorry about that,” he apologized. “I didn’t think you would attempt such a move since it, very obviously, resulted in failure.”

Swallowing my inner ramblings I gave him a pointed look. “You’re in no better position than I am.”

He arched a thick brow at me, trademark scowl already working its way across his face. “What do you mean?”

“I’m saying that we are at an impasse, a draw, a tie. No matter what you want to label it… neither of us won.” I sat up, rolling onto my feet but remaining in a squatting position.

His grimace deepened, lips pursed in thought. “I suppose… you’re right.”

“So, can I eat?”

When he looked at me once more, there was a hint of mischief coloring his chestnut eyes. “Seeing as we are at a draw, I say the reward and punishment are halved and put together.”

“What does that mean?”

“Means we are here for three more hours. Still get to finish early, still get to eat… just, _later_.”

It was sound logic, it was fair. But that didn’t mean I had to like to it. “Fine,” I groaned.

Danse stood, reaching down to gingerly help me to my feet. “And, since you liked your batons so much, how about we do a bit of weapon practice while we are at it?” He retrieved one of the wooden sticks from the floor and handed it to me.

“Whatever you say.”

He gave me a stern glare.

“ _Sir_.”


	3. Saved by a Liar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place before Knighted, after Bullets Fly. Ashtyn meets the Railroad by pure accident.

“Fucking bitch went this way, down that alley!”

“You sure? It’s too dark, can’t see a damn thing.”

“Come on you fucking slacker! You wanna lose her?”

“Shut the hell up. You’re not the one she _shot_.”

“Stop being such a puss. We can’t let her get away.”

Heavy foot falls, panicked labored breaths erupting from parted lips in quick bursts, lungs begging for oxygen, throat scorched dry from lack of water, nerves raw and on edge.

I wasn’t moving fast enough.

My right foot screamed with every step, blood oozing from the laceration that marred my ankle, a constant reminder that I had made one hell of a mistake going through this alone. Why hadn’t I thought ahead? Why didn’t I think to ask Haylen to travel with me to Diamond City? Why did I ever think I could do this by myself?

“You’re slowing down, bitch! We’re gonna get ya!”

 _Shit_.

I had waltzed my fine ass right into their trap. Fuck, where was my head in that one? I took the bait willingly – a woman asking for help, raiders had her brother captive in the back of some store. So stupid of me. Of course it was a setup. A two year old could have figured that out. And here’s me, twenty-seven years old and winner of the ‘Most Idiotic Person in the Commonwealth’ award.

A volley of gunshots spattered against the brickwork above my head, cascading dust upon me, a sprinkle of plaster and glass peppering the top of my head. I ducked low, reaching forward to clasp the corner of the building to vault myself into the open street.

It wasn’t safe out here. I had to find somewhere to bunker down.

But where could I go?

My heart felt like it was stuck in my throat, cutting off the few gasps of air I had left. Adrenaline was wearing thin, teetering me towards the brink as it began to wane. I was running on empty… I couldn’t keep up this game of cat and mouse for much longer.

“Think, Ashtyn, think!” I hissed, eyes flicking back and forth across the roadway. The shops had been long abandoned though a few street lights remained, illuminating the broken cobblestone below in rapid fire bursts, the wires faulty after two hundred years of use. The doors were boarded up or blockaded by countless bookshelves and countertops. The windows were impossible to squeeze through without slicing my body in half by jarred pointed glass. I was trapped.

And my pursuers weren’t giving up.

I heard them gaining behind me as I weighed my choices (albeit, they were few… leaning towards none). Their cackles echoed off of the demolished walls, mocking me as each second ticked by.

_Fucking think!_

“Found you!” one of the raiders snarled.

I peeked over my shoulder, spinning on my heels to face them, hand grasping wildly for my gun at my back.

Their sneers glistened in the moonlight, sweat coating their skin as they closed in on my position. There were two… But I knew more were following behind them. It was only a matter of time before I was completely surrounded.

“Hey, fellas. How’s about we talk this out like civilized people?” I tried, fingers gripping Righteous Authority to my chest, index inching towards the trigger. I couldn’t fight them all. Not by myself. Oh Gods, I would give anything to have Danse at my back… Fuck, I would even take Rhys at this point. Anything but this.

“Don’t think so, little girl,” the first one jeered, muscled sausage like hands groping for the machete he carried, brandishing the blade before him. It looked wicked, sharp… it would cut through me like butter.

“You far from home, bitch?” the other cooed. “Don’t worry, we’ll send you back to your family. _In pieces_ , of course.”

Shadows pirouetted at the back of the alley, the murmuring of more voices. _Double shit._

A church lay dormant behind me, down the street. I couldn’t make it there in time, not without them seeing me. I had to come up with a distraction… some way to distort their vision. But without a clue as to how to do that, I was stuck.

I had to stall. Had to hit the pause button long enough to come up with a strategy. “That’s hardly fair… Little ol’ me against all of you? Can’t we work something out? You want caps?” I asked, gesturing towards my hip where my petite leather pouch of currency rested. I wasn’t sure how many I had collected. Two hundred? Three? Certainly that had to be enough to convince them to find another play toy.

The first chuckled, a low growl of a laugh that made my hair stand on end, my whole body convulse away. “Nah. You killed Pete. So, we can’t just let ya go. Rules are rules.”

“Didn’t know you guys had a Code. Isn’t that too Brotherhood of Steel for a bunch of raiders?”

“Think of it more as a guideline than actual Code.”

“How cliché of you,” I muttered, taking a tentative step back.

The machete snapped forward. “Not another move.”

“Why not? You’re going to kill me any ways, right? Might as well make it a little challenging.”

“I think not,” he warned, the threat clear in his voice. “Besides, you’re fenced in. Nowhere to run.”

I stole a glance to my left and right… only to confirm his words to be true. While I had been attempting to come up with a plan, his buddies had circled around and were now closing off either side of the street. _Triple fucking shit cakes._

 “Now, how’s about we make this easy? You sit there like a good little girl, and maybe, just _maybe_ , we’ll give you a quick death. We’ll think _real_ hard about it.”

“Wait… you’re capable of thinking? Didn’t know that.”

Pain exploded through my body as a raider slammed the barrel of his gun against my lower back. The blow caused me to double over, Righteous Authority dropping to the ground at my side as my hands splayed against the concrete.

“You have a mouth. Gonna have’ta fix that.”

“You barely know how to keep your armor together, how are you going to fix jack shit?” I bit.

Only to have to spit out a mouthful of blood as I received a swift kick to the jaw. I gagged, coughing hoarsely to clear my throat, body curled up into a heap, arm wrapped protectively around my head.

“Shut. Up.”

“Or what?” I groaned, attempting to right myself, free hand clutching at my belt. I had to have one… “You gonna cry about it? Go whine to Raider Leader? Maybe they’ll make you a hot chocolate and let you pout.”

I cried out as a hand snarled into my hair, lifting me off the ground till only the toes of my boots remained one with the earth. My face contorted with hot fire agony as stars danced in front of my vision, a blade pressed against my gut.

“So, we ain’t doing this the nice way then.”

“No…” I whispered. I opened up my closed fist, a flash grenade held tightly in my palm. “We aren’t.”

The pin dropped in slow motion, the raiders’ gaze tracking it with precision. A few in the back wised up enough to try to dive for cover… But those in front?

Didn’t stand a chance.

_That included me._

The raider that held me cursed, his grip releasing as the grenade hit the street. I felt him lunge away from me along with the others… but it was too late.

I raised an arm to cover my eyes, bowing low to shield myself from the blast as it detonated, sending the world around us into a brilliant bright light. “FUCK!” someone hollered. “I can’t see! She blinded us! Someone find her!”

_Move, damn it!_

I had to leave Righteous Authority behind, I didn’t have time to grab it. I had precious few seconds and every fucking one of them counted. _I’ll come back for you._

Pivoting on my heels, I stood, head swimming. The ground wavered below me, buildings swaying in place as I tried to right myself. Blinking I started forwards, steps uncoordinated but sturdy enough to hold me. Just get to the church…

My stomach heaved with nausea as I pitched the door open, as I stumbled inside landing heavily on my hip.

“Where she go?”

“Find her NOW!”

I grasped the broken floorboards with my nails, dragging myself through the threshold, cowering low behind a pew.

“Check the buildings!”

“She couldn’t have gotten far!”

With shaking hands, I pulled a stimpack from my pack, flipping the plastic cap away before plunging the needle into my thigh. Relief flooded my system but my head still felt like a load of bricks, my ears still rung as if I was drowning underwater.

“Just burn it all! She’ll either die in the flames or be forced to run out!”

Glass breaking, the sound of fire licking at woodwork. Molotovs.

“Give it a rest,” I whispered, clutching the back of the pew to haul myself up. But my feet gave way below me, legs too weak to hold my weight.

“Don’t forget the fucking church!”

_No…_

Smoke erupted from the glass bottle that landed at the entryway, flames already caressing the sides of the walls. Years of rot had eaten away at the structure, decades of heat made the wood brittle… flammable.

 I coughed, chocking as my precious oxygen was obliterated into nothingness. _Shit… fuck… think_ ….

I crawled towards the front of the church but each step was harder than the last, my body growing heavier and heavier.

My eye lids drooped, vision faded around the edges. My body slumped forwards, shoulders sagged.

The heat increased, enclosed around me.

My skin felt alive with fire.

_Stay awake…_

I caught a glimpse of Shaun, heard his laughter.

_Stay awake…._

I smelled fresh laundry.

_Stay… awake…._

I saw Danse scowl, that hint of humor playing just behind his eyes.

_Stay…_

And then…. There was nothing.

**-oOo-**

A cot below me, a soft breeze… Gentle music in the background. The smell of smoke no longer so suffocating.

“I don’t like this.” A woman’s voice, faded, distant, muffled.

Everything hurt. Every square inch of my body ached. I didn’t even have the strength to open my eyes.

“She doesn’t have to stay long, boss. Just long enough to get healed up. But, hey, just saying? She could be a valuable resource.” Male.

“Oh? And how would that be?” She sounded tired, as if they had had this conversation before.

“I’ve been watching this one. She’s done a lot of shit. Not quite hero worthy status but, man, people know her.”

Were they talking about me? Who were they?

A heavy sigh, a slow exhale. “Like what, Deacon? We don’t have time for this.”

“Okay, okay. Seriously though, news flash? She’s a big deal out there. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of her. She’s with the Minutemen. Not a General or nothing but she’s with them, helped save a lot of settlements.”

“Deacon…”

He cut her off. “And if that wasn’t enough, she helped this little ghoul boy named Billy. Real Good Samaritan act there. Not many people would have stopped to do that.”

They _were_ talking about me.

“Swell, she cares about the little guys,” sarcasm laced her voice.

“Remember that ship? The USS Constitution? Everyone saw that ship fly into the side of the Baxter building. She was part of that.”

Who was this man? Deacon? How did he know so much about me?

“Doesn’t mean she would help us. She doesn’t look like she can handle herself in a fight.”

“She’s the champion of the Combat Zone. Amazing feat.”

“So she can handle low grade thugs, good for her. Not good enough for us.”

“Brotherhood of Steel is considering letting her into their ranks. Hell of a thing, that is. Trust me, Dez, she’s someone we want on our side.”

 _Stalker_.

“She brought destruction to our doorstep.”

“Give her chance. Have I ever let you down before? What are our options any ways? Shoot her? Come on. We need help. We need friends, now more than ever.”

“So, you’re vouching for her?”

Vouching for me for _what_?

“Yes. I am.”

“Then she’s your responsibility.”

“No problem, boss.”

They moved closer to me, fingers were placed against my wrist, searching for a pulse. “She’s alive.” The woman, Dez, said. “She should be awake come morning. Keep an eye on her.”

“You got it. Gonna go play with some baddies?”

“Someone has to clear away the raiders she led here. Glory and I will sweep the area.”

“Be safe out there.”

“Sure.”

The room feel quiet after that, nothing but the sound of DCR playing. I allowed my muscles to lose their tension, let my breathing still.

I needed rest.

**-oOo-**

When I woke again, I wasn’t sure how much time had passed. I just knew I could move without a bolt of pain ripping through my flesh. I twitched my fingers first, curling them into a fist as I slowly eased my eyes open.

“Morning, sunshine.”

 _Deacon_. His voice was unique, easily recognizable. I swiveled my head to the side, gaze finding him. He was seated beside me in a metal chair, arms crossed but posture relaxed. Besides him was my stuff – my pack, my armor… and Righteous Authority.

“Bit of a shitty reception you got there but, sadly, that’s life here in Boston nowadays.”

I parted my lips, tongue thick in my mouth. “Where am I?” I croaked.

“You want something to drink?” he offered a carton of water which I took with hesitation. “You can trust me.”

“You’re a stranger.” I sniffed the water as I forced my body into a sitting position, feet dangling off the side of the cot. I was underground, that much I was certain. The dirt earthen and brick laden walls were evident of that. Everything also had that damp cave smell. The lighting was dim. The radio had been turned off but I could hear people talking out in the main room through the doorway behind Deacon.

“So are you,” he countered.

“Is this where you tell me that, if you wanted to kill me, you would have already?”

He smirked. “You caught me. Can’t fool you.”

Deciding the water was safe to drink, I took a sip. It soothed my parched throat. “Why did you save me?”

“You’re welcome for that, by the way.” He leaned forwards, propping his elbows on his knees, fingers clasped together. “But, we couldn’t have the bad guys finding our lil hideout. You just so happened to be there. Figured we couldn’t just leave you to roast to death.”

“Appreciated.” My mind flashed to the conversation I overheard. I needed answers. “So, is this some kind of group?”

“You could call it that. You’re at the Headquarters to the Railroad. Name is a bit cookie cutter but it works well enough.”

Railroad… Railroad… I swear I had heard that name before. Did Preston mention it? Cait? Danse?

“Looks like you’re drawing a blank. Makes sense considering you’re whole ‘frozen like an ice cube’ phase. Guessing we weren’t around during your time.”

My body went cold, every muscle taut like a rubber band. What… What had he just said?

“Wow there, go any paler and you’ll be a ghost. Let me explain. I’ve been watching you for some time. Not like a creeper. Just making observations. I saw you crawl out of the Vault on the hill, 111. Did some research, leanred what they had been up to there. Some real shit they put you through.”

 _Act natural, easy there. Breathe_. “You could say that,” my tone was cautious, wary.

“But, thing is, when I saw you upstairs, about to get cooked, I convinced the others to let ya down here. You don’t owe me any favors, don’t worry bout that. Just figured you deserved a real shot at life since your first one was taken from you.”

I was speechless. He knew everything about me… at least, everything there was to know about me in this time. He risked his neck for me. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Seriously, don’t. Can’t have you ruining my appearance,” a smile played at the corners of his lips.

As long as I knew he wasn’t going to stab me in the back… It was time to get some of my questions answered. “I… uh, I heard you talking to a woman. Dez?”

“I knew you were awake! Dez didn’t believe me. But yeah, that’s our leader. Desdemona. She kind of keeps our ragtag group together.”

“And what is it your group does?”

“Listen, that’s a long conversation, one we can have for another time. Right now? Right now you focus on getting healed up. You gotta get to Diamond City, right?”

I grinned. He really did know everything. “Yeah, I do.”

“Want some company this time round? Can’t have you getting obliterated halfway there again.”

“Why are you so willing to help me?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Help goes both ways. I help you a little, and you’ll help us. Dez is interested in you but we gotta turn some heads and get some attention before she really lets you in. We can talk about that on the way to the Crown Jewel.”

I bobbed my head in understanding. My questions would have to wait. For now. I finished my carton of water, crumpling the paper container in my hand.

“Great. You want to go meet everyone?”

I sent a tentative glance towards the door. It was my only way out. Not like I had another option.

“We don’t bite. Not unless you want us to,” he joked, standing and offering me his hand.

Fuck it, what did I have to lose?

I took his hand and allowed him to help me up. “Sure.”

“Welcome to the Railroad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the wait. For those of you who don't know, my past week was hell. Big family problems. It made it so I couldn't write until today. I chugged this one out for you guys (I know we were probably hoping for a main story update, and I"m sorry).   
> Tomorrow I"ll get a DAI chapter up... and then this weekend, we should have a Broken Steel Main Story chapter uploaded. Again, sorry for the wait. Thank you for understanding. <3


	4. Oddities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place shortly after A Hostage Situation, Ash talks about things she thinks are beyond weird in the Commonwealth.   
> For an anonymous Tumblr goer who wanted to hear what Ash though of the Commonwealth.

“You know what I can’t ever understand?” Ashtyn asked from her position across the entryway.

They were out scouting North Boston, or what was left of it after centuries of radiation and raiders ate away at all the half-way decent stuff the land had to offer. Still, the Elder believed they could find long last technology or information, so here they were.

Danse still felt sore, his muscles ached and the burns that laced his flesh were far from fully healed. But it was good to be out and moving, to work his arms and legs. Being cooped up on the Prydwen with Cade assessing his vital signs every two hours had begun to grate on his nerves. Not being with his fellow Knights and Paladins was unbearable; knowing they were out in the field being productive while he sat on a sterile cot tending to his wounds was aggravating.

So, when Ashtyn had found him with that lop-sided smirk curling her full lips into a grin, waving a document of releasement in her hand, he jumped at the opportunity to get some fresh air.

Granted, what fueled his desire to return to duty had been more than just getting out of the first aid station. His hazelnut gaze flicked to Ash as she turned towards him, brows arched as she waited for his response. He would be lying if he denied her part in it.

“What?”

She pushed off from the counter, jabbing an accusing finger towards the cash register. “The strange places you keep bottle caps.”

Danse cocked his head to the side, taking a few steps towards her as he continued to scan the shelves for any valuable items. They were mostly bare. Tin cans long forgotten, emptied containers, and water cartons long since depleted. The metal was coated in a fine layer of dust. “I’m not following.”

“Okay, hear me out. You would think you’d find them in these things, right?” Again she pointed at the register. “But nope. What is there instead? Ammo. Ammo! For _shotguns_!”

“You telling me that you didn’t keep ammunition around in easy to reach places two hundred years ago?” Danse hedged coming to stand beside her, peering into the object she kept gesturing at. Bullets were lined up between the plastic separators, rubber banded together to keep them from rolling away.

She scoffed. “No. We kept cash in there. But that’s not the only weird thing.”

He chuckled. Haylen had said that Ashtyn had been itching, practically crawling the walls was her exact phrasing, to have Danse return. Had she not told anyone else about who she truly was? Was he the only who knew? If so, that meant that he was also the only person she could relay this information to. “What else has changed?”

“There are bottle caps in the washing machines.” His expression must have proved his confusion since she continued. “We threw those things away, in the _trash_ , pre-war. They weren’t currency. They were _garbage_. And I’m sure as shit that these things didn’t work after the bombs fell, so nobody was doing their laundry. Who chose bottle caps as the replacement for the dollar bill any ways?”

He holstered his rifle to the strap that crossed his back before replying. “I think the merchants actually started it over on the West Coast, in New California. Caps were somewhat scarce so they were valuable as a currency. After time passed, everyone started using them. Civilians looted the Nuka Factories when word spread though… some nasty business there for a while, everyone at each other’s throats trying to get rich quick.”

“They suck to carry around though.”

“They are a bit bulky, I’ll give you that.”

A gentle breeze fluttered in through the open door near the front of the Charleston Laundry. Overturned shopping carts long abandoned nestled themselves against the brickwork and cobblestone, the windows long shattered with jagged edges of glass turned upwards, prepared to impale any unsuspecting foe that tempted to come in through the opening. The heat was mild for the time of day, the clouds overhead dark and heavy, threatening to drench the Commonwealth in their acid rain. The air smelled wet, thick with moisture. They needed to get going if they wanted to make it back to Bunker Hill before the storm set in. They had a room at Savoldi's Place – it was a small room but large enough to hold their gear and belongings.

“We should head out,” he advised.

Ashtyn bobbed her head in understanding, slender fingers gripping her pack and hefting it onto her shoulders. Her armor was absurdly basic today, a factoid he made sure she was blatantly aware of before they had headed out. She wore little more than some road leathers and a helmet, the alloy one he had given to her the first time they met. The Brotherhood of Steel logo was faded, barely recognizable from the months of bleaching it had received from the sun, and the countless times she had to scrub dirt and grime from the metallic surface.

As they returned to the street, she continued. “Then there’s the books and magazines. Why the flip did some magazines survive the apocalypse but every book I find is burnt? And it wasn’t even the good magazines that stuck around either.”

“Technically, you did find a few books seeing as I have them on my bedside table back on the Prydwen.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sure, okay, yeah. There are those. But there are book return stations all over the fucking place but hardly any books. The Natick Police Station one has gum drops in it. But I’m never gonna get the right armount tokens or books to get them.”

Danse led the way down an alley that would allow them to skirt around the dangers of the main road. Raiders, ghouls, supermutants… any abomination could be strolling through the streets of Boston, best to avoid them altogether, especially with their packs weighed down with odds and ends. “You know, you can get candy in Diamond City and most traveling merchants have their fair share of treats.”

“It’s the process of getting a prize, Danse. That’s what I want. I never got one when I was a kid, you’d think now that I’m all grown up, I could. How was I supposed to know the nukes would kill all my fun?” She crouched low to dodge a fallen beam from a nearby gas station that had once been part of the foundation. Rot and mold blackened the woodwork, making the structure weak. Years of constant humidity had done the rest, forcing the building to practically split at the seams.

Danse could just make out the memorial ahead, the large structure known as Bunker Hill visible along the horizon above the steel and wood guard fence that surrounded the settlement.

They would be able to rest soon.

“And what the hell is with fusion cores?” she quipped, jogging ahead of him so she could pivot on her heels, facing him and walking backwards as she spoke.

He couldn’t help the way his eyes rolled. So very full of questions today. “Go on.”

“They can sit in generators in the middle of Bum-Fuck nowhere for decades, providing power to a whole damn factory… But shove one into a suit of power armor? Lasts thirty minutes _if_ you’re lucky.”

She… had a point. A valid one. “You got me there.’

“Another thing about power armor? How are we not crushed when we fall from the top of the Prydwen? I saw Ingram do it the other day, she dropped straight off from the flight deck… walked away like it was nothing. Now, I wasn’t great at physics back in my day but I’m pretty sure that’s not possible. At least, not without pulverizing all your bones into mush.”

They were nearing the gate now, he could hear the turrets that manned the perimeter hum in their steady positions. The spotlights swiveled back and forth, illuminating the staircase towards the monument, sparkling off of the cracked asphalt and weed-dense dirt. “You know, I think Quinlan knows a thing or two about that. He said it has something to do with-“

“Raider or merchant?” a voice cut him off.

Danse hesitated, head snapping forward. They hadn’t been asked that when they originally first arrived.

Ashtyn merely snorted. “Deb, seriously?”

“Oh, sorry hun. Didn’t realize it was you. Come on in.” the woman waved her hand for them to enter, stepping aside and away from the automated weapon. “Can’t be too careful with the storm brewing. People sometimes think we are an easy target when they need shelter from the elements. You guys need any patching up?”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it. And nah, we are good. Thanks though. Say hi to Meg for me. She still owes me that tour. I paid her for it.”

Danse trailed behind Ash as they moved into the settlement, already beginning to feel a trickle of rain water drip down the back of his head. The clouds behind them groaned, light danced between the buildings. Not too much time before it hit. “How is it that you know everyone everywhere?”

“Making friends is easy when you’re not ridiculously judgmental about who or _what_ it is you’re talking to,” she reprimanded, nearing Savoldi’s Place.

“I’m cautious. And you should be too, you never know what-“

“They are _people_ , Danse. We’ve gone over this.” And her tone implied that she had no desire to repeat said conversation.

He bit the inside of his cheek, holding his tongue. Though he didn’t fully conform to the beliefs of the Brotherhood of Steel like he once had – even he could admit that they were wrong in some regards – her disdain for the most fundamental essentials was discomforting. It would be her demise one day if she wasn’t careful. Being too trusting in this world… it never had a happy ending.

Ashtyn dug out the iron key from her pocket, unlocking their door at the top of the stairs. Wind whistled through the rafters, making the foundation rattle. He watched as a small frown color her features. “Gonna get nasty tonight,” she commented.

“We’ll be good once inside. With a roof over our heads and a few candles burning, we should be safe.”

“That’s another thing,” she started, shoving the door open and stepping into the room. She discarded her pack by the bed and sat down to begin unlacing her boots. “Some of the settlements I’ve helped for the Minutemen… Man, they are in bad shape. Caved in ceilings, holes in the floor… Then you go into Concord or Lexington and there are perfectly good looking homes. Why do people live in such shitty places when there are better options?”

He mirrored her actions, unbuckling the combat armor from his torso. “That would be a question for Garvey next time you see him.”

She shrugged one of her shoulders, finally finished with her boots. Standing she moved to grab a bowl from a wooden shelf above the dresser. “Whatever. You guys are weird.”

With her back to him, Danse couldn’t help but steal a glance. She was lean, muscular, her curves just enough to grab his attention and make his heart pick up a few beats. Her auburn hair was damp, beaded raindrops clinging to the gentle curls that framed her face. As she reached for a box of Sugar Bombs, the pink cotton shirt she wore drifted upwards, exposing her sun-kissed lower back.

He wasn’t the only person who noticed her either… he heard the gossip on the Prydwen, how some of the lower ranking Knights and even Commanding Officers commented on her looks. ‘Legs to die for’, ‘hips I could hold all night’, and a ‘tight ass’ had been some of the more demeaning observations.

But they didn’t know her the way he did.

They didn’t know the way her laugh sounded like the finest bell ringing on the brightest summer day. Or how her beauty was only matched by her untamed and wild spark of an attitude that could go from sultry hot to bitter cold in a matter of seconds. Her determination, her drive, her ability to give the finger to reality… Her uniqueness, _everything_ about her.

She was more than just a pretty thing to look at.

Ashtyn turned to meet his stare, those sharp blue eyes stealing his breath away and forcing him to clear his throat and glance away. _Though she has that going for her too, I suppose._

When he had gathered enough nerve to return his attention to her, she was perched at the end of the bed, popping the cap off of a Nuka Cola bottle and adding the liquid to her cereal. _Wait, what?_ “What are you doing?”

“Uh…. Eating?” she responded, twisting to wrinkle her nose at him.

“Cola _and_ Sugar Bombs though?”

“Yeah. What’s wrong with that?” Defensive now.

“After… After _everything_ you said you thought was ‘super weird’, you eat your Bombs with Cola?” his voice was incredulous, a hint of a smile coiling his lips, a laugh already building in his throat.

“I like it,” she muttered, staring defiantly back at her bowl before popping a spoonful into her mouth.

He chuckled, sitting down beside her. “You’re going to get a cavity.”

“Want to try it?” she wiggled a spoon in front of him, eyes sparkling with humor.

“No thanks. I’m good. I’m fine with eating my cereal with milk, as was intended.”

“You don’t have to suck all the fun out of everything, you know,” she cooed, a playful threat.

Danse scowled. _Two can play at this game._

Just as she began to turn the spoon back towards her own mouth, he wrapped his hand around hers and took a bite… startling them both.

Her eyes widened, a blush crept up her cheeks, coloring her skin in scarlet. Her lips parted in surprise.

_Swallow. Chew and swallow_ , he had to command himself. He slowly lowered his hand and tore his gaze from hers. _What the hell are you doing?_

She coughed, trying to act as if nothing had happened. But he knew, he _knew_ he had caught her off guard… and the way she grinned, the way her eyes twinkled… she had _liked_ it. “So, uh, what do you think?”

_About you or the food? Because honestly? Both are going to kill me if I’m not careful._ “It’s good. But I really think it needs milk. Let me go see if Sav has any. I’ll be right back.” _I need to get out of here before I do something really stupid._

Before she could reply, he stood and bee lined for the door, closing his makeshift shield behind him and swallowing a few lungfuls of air. “By Steel,” he whispered. His heart was pounding out an unsteady beat in his ears, his chest felt tight. _Fuck. This can’t happen. Why is this happening? How is she able to do this to me?_

Running his fingers through his hair, Danse started down the stairs. This couldn’t happen.


End file.
